When you’re having a backyard fire, you typically use kindling to help get the fire going. You could just pick up branches and throw it in the fire and call it a day. But you could actually make your own kindling by using a kindling cracker.
Not only does it produce consistent lengths, but it also looks better and burns better than tree branches since you will be using logs. Read on to read all about kindling crackers and some of the kindling crackers on the market today.
Top 3 Picks
The WEN Electric Log Splitter is our favorite for kindling splitters. It is electric, that means it can split logs with a powerful driving force of 13000 pounds. To us, we find that extremely impressive. It is also efficient because it has the auto return cylinder that retracts automatically, after every log split. This log splitter is for people who want pure convenience and enjoy freshly cut kindles without doing all the work.
Sun Joe Hydraulic Log Splitter
Sun Joe has a hydraulic log splitter that works extremely well. It’s extremely powerful as well as it has a driving force of 10 tons. It has a ram spring for quick resets after it’s done splitting the log. This splitter will produce kindling extremely fast and is super convenient for people who need kindling fast.
Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter
We didn’t want to leave out the Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter. While you will have to manually split the logs through the splitter, it’s made out of cast iron. It’s maintenance free too so you’ll be able to enjoy this kindling cracker for years to come.
How to use a kindling cracker
Take Safety Precautions
Before you start thinking about splitting logs, it’s important that you take safety precautions to make sure that you are safe while making yoru logs into kindling. This includes wearing long pants and shoes that cover your feet fully.
Position the Splitter Near the Wood
You will want to take the splitter where your wood is when it comes to splitting logs, instead of bringing all the logs to your splitter. That’s why most of the kindling splitters we’ve recommended today are at least portable so that you can easily transport the splitter to the wood. If it’s on the heavier side, consider putting it on a trailer attached to a lawnmower and bringing it to the pile of wood.
Make sure the Position is Positioned Correctly
You’ll want to have the splitter on flat, level ground. If it’s on the verge of tipping or rolling over, it can be dangerous for you. It can also damage the machine which you paid good money for. You’ll also want to make sure that you have plenty of room to stand so that you are comfortable while operating the kindling splitter.
Get ready to split logs
If using hydraulic or electric log splitters, you can turn it on now to get ready to split the logs.
Load the splitter
This is where you will now load the splitter with a log to get ready to make it into kindling.
Split the logs
If using an electric or hydraulic log splitter, you’ll want to activate the manual lever or valve. If using a manual one, you’ll want to use a sledgehammer or something similar to hit the log through the splitter.
Remove the Split Log
Now that you’re done, you’ll want to remove it from the splitter’s bed and put the kindling somewhere else. You can repeat the process until you have all the kindling you need.
What to consider when choosing a kindling cracker
The Blade
Believe it or not, it’s important what the blade material and shape is. It’s the one thing that will cut through the logs. You will want a blade that is made from durable steel.
Kindling Cracker Size
Size matters when it comes to choosing a kindle splitter. Many have a hoop design, which means it’ll keep your hands away while you are splitting the logs, making it safe.
You will want to look for a kindle cracker that’s large enough to split logs but small enough where it’s easier to move around.
Stability
Splitters, forged from metal, may weigh a substantial amount. Increased weight improves tool stability and might indicate a higher quality casting.
Consider choices with pre-drilled holes in the base if you want to strengthen the stability of your kindling splitter. This allows you to bolt the tool down for optimum stability.
Price
How much you’re willing to pay will have a factor on the kind of kindling cracker that you’ll get. It all depends on the material used, if it’s electric or hydraulic and etc. Also kindling crackers don’t have maintenance which is why they are usually on the higher side. If your kindling cracker has blades, sometimes you’ll have to replace them, otherwise, the price you pay is usually the final price.
Best Electric Wood Splitter
WEN Electric Log Splitter
If you are looking for a log splitter that will practically do the work for you, look no further than the WEN electric log splitter. It has a powerful 15A motor with 13000 pounds of log cracking pressure. You can choose to split the logs on the 34-inch stand or without, making it versatile.
It can take on big logs that are 20.5 inch in length and 10 inches in diameter, which we like. Because it’s electric, there’s no maintenance required so you can just use it whenever you need to make kindling. Even though it weighs in at 98 pounds, it’s portable due to the fact it has 5.5 inch never flat wheels. There is an adjustable 4.5-inch push plate and it’s fairly accurate with splitting thanks to the 5 inch wedge that can angle at 45 degrees. A cool feature that we like is that the WEN splitter is extremely efficient by having an auto return cylinder that retracts automatically after every time a log is split.
Pros:
- Can split large logs
- No maintenance
- 13000 pounds of log cracking pressure
Cons:
- Can struggle with certain wood, such as hickory
- Jams sometimes
Best Manual Hydraulic Log Splitter
Sun Joe Hydraulic Log Splitter
If you are looking for a log splitter that’s very powerful, you’ll love the Sun Joe Hydraulic Log Splitter. It has 10 tons of driving force, so it’s guaranteed to split your logs with ease. It can split logs up to 18 inches long and 8 inches wide. It’s made out of durable steel frame construction and there is a RAM spring for quick resets after splitting the logs.
Pros:
- 10 tons of driving force
- Can spilt 18 inches long and 8 inches wide logs
- Made out of steel frame construction
Cons:
- Some users have reported quality issues with this log splitter as in it broke
Best Electric – 6 ton
PowerSmart Log Splitte
If you are looking for an electric log splitter that has a 6-ton driving force, you’ll love the Powersmart Log Splitter. It has a very powerful 1.5 HP motor and it has a 20 second cycle time. It can split logs up to 21 inches in length and 10 inches in diameter. It’s versatile as you can either use it on the ground or on its bench. It’s also portable as it has two wheels so you can put it up like a wheelbarrow and move it to either storage or a location where you’ll be splitting wood.
Pros:
- 6 tons of driving force
- Can split 21 inches in length and 10 inches in diameter logs.
- Versatile
Cons:
- Poor construction (some users have called it “weak)
Other Best Kindling Crackers
Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter
The Kindling Cracker Firewood Splitter is made from high quality cast iron forged in Australia. There’s no maintenance that needs to be done on it, as all you have to do is brush the wood dust off and once in a blue moon, retouch with paint.
This splitter is a compact design, standing at twelve inches and it’s 6 and a half inches in diameter. It weighs 10 pounds due to the fact it’s made out of cast iron. It’s the perfect splitter for the home or small business.
Pros:
- Made out of extremely high-quality cast iron
- Less forced required vs a standard ax
- There are certain bolt holes to help increase stability and mounting
Cons:
- You’re limited to just 6.5 inches of log size
KABIN Kindle Quick Log Splitter
If you are looking for a fairly compact kindling cracker, look no further than this KABIN Kindle Quick Log Splitter. The full dimensions for this splitter is 16.22 x 10.63 x 9.69 inches. It’s made out of cast iron, so it’s 14 pounds. What we like about this kindling splitter is that it can split logs quickly, giving you kindling in no time. There are no sharp blades on this splitter making this extremely safe to use and it can handle logs that’s bigger than the usual size. Because it’s lightweight, it has a handle and is easy to carry when splitting logs.
Pros:
- Made out of cast iron
- Easy to carry
- Can handle bigger logs
Cons:
- While it can split large logs, some user says it still can’t split huge logs
Hi-Flame Firewood Kindling Splitter
The Hi Flame Firewood Kindling Splitter is extremely compact and very easy to use. It is held together by 4 bolts and because there’s no hole to worry about, you can split logs from 1 inch to 1 ¼ inches. With this splitter, you’ll have to use a hammer or other heavy duty tool to force the wood down to split it. The Hi Flame splitter retains its color because of a high-quality spray paint that is used to prevent rust and more. It weighs 10 pounds so it’s easy to pick it up and store it when you are done.
Pros:
- Compact & Portable
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Can only split 1 to 1 ½ inch logs
FAQ
What is a kindling cracker?
A kindling cracker is a log splitter that splits a log, so they become even pieces. There are a variety of sizes, shapes and different features of the kindling cracker that may be useful to split the logs efficiently.
Do I need a kindling cracker?
Do you always have a fire going in the backyard or use a reliable heating source such as a fireplace or woodstove? Then a kindling cracker will definitely make your life easier.
Bottom Line
Kindling crackers are a very convenient tool to have. It can create perfectly shaped kindling that you can throw in the fire or use to put in your woodstove. Whether you need a cast iron or metal kindling cracker, there are a variety of them on the market today. There are also electric and hydraulic ones as well.
While we think the WEN Electric Log Splitter is the best one out of all of them, because it will save a lot of time, it’s versatile and gives you perfect kindling without a lot of effort. If you have enjoyed reading this guide about kindling crackers today, please let us know in the comment section below!
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